Fetal alcohol syndrome

Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to the prenatal damage caused to a child by the alcoholic toxin of the mother during pregnancy. The physical malformations appear when the organ formation of the child is incomplete at the time of the alcohol consumption. The central nervous system may also be damaged, and behavioral and cognitive disorders may occur.

The generic term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) summarizes the terms fetal alcohol syndrome (full expression) and fetal alcohol effects (symptomatically attenuated expression).

Alcohol is a toxic substance and is transmitted via the umbilical cord directly into the bloodstream of the child. It is thought that some damage is caused by the alcohol influence on the Purkinje cells in the embryonic cerebellum, which are responsible for muscle coordination and sense of balance.

The damage to the cells is due to the acidic pH in the blood, which enters the circulation by the intake of alcohol. The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase is responsible for the alcohol degradation, and five-year-old patients have often the value of that of an adult.